Bahrain GP situation: postponed, reinstated, cancelled

[WhiteBlue]

I think unfortunately this race is going to occur. We're less than 48 hours from qualifying...I can't imagine it being stopped at this point.

I'm not so sure. Let us have a look at history to see when races have been called off.

From a biography of Ecclestone by Terry Lovell.

Apparently, ignoring the political pressures and flak that was coming from all sides, Ecclestone continued to insist the South African Grand Prix was on – until, that is, several international television networks, facing internal pressure from unions, announced they would not be broadcasting the race. It was only then, when the race was faced with the loss of all-important television coverage, that Ecclestone announced the Grand Prix would not take place. The power of television succeeded, it seemed, where all other efforts had failed.

So one thing is if public opinion stops the money flow from TV by refusing to broadcast the race.

The other example was Bahrain 2011. That race was called off by the Al-Khalifas themselves because they feared that the international public could witness the bloody suppression of the peaceful Pearl revolution when 1000 tanks, murder, torture and bloodshed would have been exposed to the cameras of the international TV reporters.

It is quite clear that only a hand full of politically aware fans care what happened in Bahrain in the last fourteen months. So the South African mechanism via a TV broadcasting boycott will not happen.

The conclusion is that only an embarrassing incident closing in on the F1 TV cameras will cause the other mechanism to work. If the royals are forced to surround the BIC with troops and tanks that will be attacked by thousands of Molotov cocktail throwing Bahrainis they will pull the plug. That is not what they want us to see. Equally if the track gets invaded on Saturday or Sunday by demonstrators then Charly will have no alternative but stop the race.

So we see it is now practically an internal Bahrain affair to determine if the race will run or not. I wonder how long it will take for someone to take bets what will happen.

[jamsbong]

http://en.espnf1.com/bahrain/motorsport ... 76283.html

I've been neutral about F1 going to Bahrain as politics and racing are two different things. The media wants drama and thus have a tendency to be critical about this decision.

However, the reaction from the protestors have been most disgusting. Throwing petrol bombs at visitors and taking advantage of F1 coming to Bahrain to deliberate amp up their protests. Those violent protestors must be treated as criminals and put away from society.

Why isn't the media seeing the protestors as people doing the wrong thing? Shouldn't they be looking at both side of the story rather than siding only of the rebels? It is not only bias but deceiving.

[strad]

taking advantage of F1 coming to Bahrain to deliberate amp up their protests.

In such battles you have to use what ammunition is available

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

@ strad

Does that make their protestations legitimate?
Petrol bombing an f1 team truck will have an adverse effect on their cause.

[ArchAngel]

...Petrol bombing an f1 team truck will have an adverse effect on their cause.

Absolutely. These protesters are losing the plot. From oppressed & righteous freedom fighters, they're now smearing their image by misguidedly lashing out to the F1 contingent.

[myurr]

taking advantage of F1 coming to Bahrain to deliberate amp up their protests.

In such battles you have to use what ammunition is available

Terrorism is never just and should never be an option. Shame on you for suggesting otherwise.

[myurr]

Why isn't the media seeing the protestors as people doing the wrong thing? Shouldn't they be looking at both side of the story rather than siding only of the rebels? It is not only bias but deceiving.

Because the media is as corrupt as many of organisations they seek to expose. A narrative is created to sell papers, photos and video and anything that doesn't fit that narrative is ignored. All sides in any given conflict routinely stage photographs, release propaganda, and try to create a narrative that the media will pass on. Dissenting opinion is often given a couple of paragraphs followed by a 'but' or an argued point designed to show how it's wrong.

In the UK at least there is not a single news outlet that can be trusted to give a completely unbiased view of any given event. They all have an agenda, they all seek to shape opinion, and they all distort the truth and selectively choose what they do and do not report in order to fit that agenda.

@WhiteBlue - I find it fascinating how in your post you highlight all the wrong that can happen when the media is not present, yet you and the other posters think that F1 and the subsequent media attention should not be here. Do you think there would be any western media scrutiny, or repercussions for the ruling elite, were it not for the GP?

[Hail22]

Half an Hour to go and apparently the 3 days of rage has begun with security being beefed up at the circuit. Lets see what happens....

[manchild]

These protesters are losing the plot. From oppressed & righteous freedom fighters, they're now smearing their image by misguidedly lashing out to the F1 contingent.

Even the Bahrain rulers have stated clearly that Force India vehicle accidentally got in the middle of clash between protesters and regime forces. Why are you now imputing something that even Bahrain regime doesn't, although it would does them a big favor?

If anyone from F1 becomes a victim of Bahrain internal clashes, the reason for that would be their own greed and naive obedience to FOM and FIA bosses.

Going to a country that is almost in civil war, to participate on event staged and promoted by one of the sides involved in conflict, in Bahrain case the dictatorship regime, gives no excuse to complain of being an innocent victim.

For example - if someone sportsman from abroad had come to participate in Tour de France held during WWII, invited by Nazis and got killed by the French resistance, it wouldn't have been written down as terrorist act.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tour_de_Fr ... _World_War

Globally, over the past decade, many have become shamelessly "politically correct", taking meaning of that term to it's opposite, hiding their spineless Machiavellian nature, and in some situations, like the one in Bahrain, people going there have chosen side, and they should not pretend not to be involved in support of the regime. Whatever happens will be reaping of what they've sown.

No-one will ever be forgiven' for going to Bahrain

Britisn MPs have called on drivers, teams and sponosrs to stage a last-ditch boycott of the controversial Bahrain Grand Prix... http://www.crash.net/f1/news/178745/1/n ... hrain.html

[WhiteBlue]

The grandstand is completely empty. The teams may be alone at the circuit with the media.

[mclaren777]

The grandstand is completely empty.

[myurr]

Taken from the race thread:

The grandstand is completely empty. The teams may be alone at the circuit with the media.

Isn't that the best way to protest? Hold the GP, get the media there, have the locals boycott the race in protest. Peaceful, powerful image for the rest of the world, doesn't overly politicise the sport.

[myurr]

Would be best to also find a picture from 2010 to compare.

[manchild]

Taken from the race thread:

The grandstand is completely empty. The teams may be alone at the circuit with the media.

Isn't that the best way to protest? Hold the GP, get the media there, have the locals boycott the race in protest. Peaceful, powerful image for the rest of the world, doesn't overly politicise the sport.

Ceauşescu and other communist dictators used to fill spectators area at risky or unpopular events with soldiers and policeman. Bahrain dictator might do the same, and if they come without uniforms, or with thobe over uniforms, no one would notice a thing, and they could carry even the long barrels hidden underneath.

[myurr]

Taken from the race thread:

The grandstand is completely empty. The teams may be alone at the circuit with the media.

Isn't that the best way to protest? Hold the GP, get the media there, have the locals boycott the race in protest. Peaceful, powerful image for the rest of the world, doesn't overly politicise the sport.

Ceauşescu and other communist dictators used to fill spectators area at risky or unpopular events with soldiers and policeman. Bahrain dictator might do the same, and if they come without uniforms, no one would notice a thing.

So petrol bombs and threats of violence against the competitors are the better option? If filling the stands with soldiers and policemen was so effective you wouldn't know about it!